List of Ohio State Buckeyes football seasons

The first football team representing the Ohio State University in 1890.
The Buckeyes take to the field for a game during the 2006 season.

The Ohio State Buckeyes college football team competes as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, representing the Ohio State University in the Leaders Division of the Big Ten Conference. Ohio State has played their home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio since 1922.[1]

The Buckeyes claim eight national championships[2] along with 37 conference championships and ten undefeated seasons (six perfect seasons). Ohio State is second among all Big Ten programs in terms of conference championships (35) and has an overall record of 468-171-24 in conference play.[3] With 837 wins in over 123 seasons of football, Ohio State ranks sixth among all programs in terms of total wins and is sixth all-time in win–loss records in the NCAA.[4]

Football was introduced to the university by George Cole and Alexander S. Lilley in 1890. Lilley led the Buckeyes to a record of three wins and five losses over his two seasons as head coach. Ohio State was a football independent from 1890 to 1901 before joining the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) as a charter member in 1902.[2] The Buckeyes won two conference championships while members of the OAC and in 1913 became members of the Big Ten Conference.[5] The school saw its first real success in football and in the Big Ten under head coach John Wilce, who spent sixteen years at the university and won three conference championships, with a Rose Bowl appearance in 1921. Ohio State won two more Big Ten titles under head coach Francis Schmidt and would win their first national championship in 1942 under legendary head coach Paul Brown.[2]

Following World War II, Ohio State saw sparse success on the football field with three separate coaches and in 1951 would hire Woody Hayes to coach the team. Under his guidance Ohio State won thirteen Big Ten championships and national championships in 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968 and 1970. During his tenure Ohio State appeared Rose Bowl eight times, with the Buckeyes winning four of them.[2] Following Hayes' dismissal in 1978, Earl Bruce became the head coach, leading the Buckeyes to a conference championship and a Rose Bowl appearance in his first season. Bruce coached for the Buckeyes from 1979 to 1987 and was replaced in 1988 by John Cooper.[2] Under Cooper and Bruce the Buckeyes won seven conference championships. Jim Tressel was hired as head coach in 2001 and quickly gave Ohio State its seventh national championship in 2002 with a win in the Fiesta Bowl.[6] Ohio State won seven Big Ten championships under Tressel and appeared in eight Bowl Championship Series games, winning five of them.

Prior to the 2012 season, Ohio State hired their current head coach, Urban Meyer, who led the program to their eighth national championship in the 2014 season and an undefeated 2012 season. Through the 2014 season, Ohio State has complied an official overall record of 863 wins, 319 losses, 53 ties and has appeared in 46 bowl games, with the most recent coming in 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship.[7]

Seasons

National Champions dagger Conference Champions * Division Champions double-dagger Bowl game berth ^
Season Head coach
[8]
Conference Season results
[2]
Bowl result
[9]
Final ranking
Conference
finish
Division
finish
[a]
Won Lost Tied Associated Press Poll
[b]
Coaches' Poll
[c]
Ohio State Buckeyes
1890 Alexander Lilley Independent 1 3 0 N/A N/A
1891 Independent 2 2 0 N/A N/A
1892 Frederick Ryder Independent 5 3 0 N/A N/A
1893 Independent 4 5 0 N/A N/A
1894 Independent 6 5 0 N/A N/A
1895 Independent 4 4 2 N/A N/A
1896 Charles Hickey Independent 5 5 1 N/A N/A
1897 David Edwards Independent 1 7 1 N/A N/A
1898 Frederick Ryder Independent 3 5 0 N/A N/A
1899 John Eckstorm Independent 9 0 1 N/A N/A
1900 Independent 8 1 1 N/A N/A
1901 Independent 5 3 1 N/A N/A
1902 Perry Hale Ohio Athletic Conference 2nd 6 2 2 N/A N/A
1903 Ohio Athletic Conference 2nd 8 3 0 N/A N/A
1904 Edwin Sweetland Ohio Athletic Conference 2nd 6 5 0 N/A N/A
1905 Ohio Athletic Conference 2nd 8 2 2 N/A N/A
1906 * Albert Herrnstein Ohio Athletic Conference 1st * 8 1 0 N/A N/A
1907 Ohio Athletic Conference 2nd 7 2 1 N/A N/A
1908 Ohio Athletic Conference 2nd 6 4 0 N/A N/A
1909 Ohio Athletic Conference 3rd 7 3 0 N/A N/A
1910 Howard Jones Ohio Athletic Conference 3rd 6 1 3 N/A N/A
1911 Harry Vaughan Ohio Athletic Conference 4th 5 3 2 N/A N/A
1912 * John Richards Ohio Athletic Conference 1st * 6 3 0 N/A N/A
1913 John Wilce Big Ten Conference T–6th 4 2 1 N/A N/A
1914 Big Ten Conference T–4th 5 2 0 N/A N/A
1915 Big Ten Conference T–3rd 5 1 1 N/A N/A
1916 * Big Ten Conference 1st * 7 0 0 N/A N/A
1917 * Big Ten Conference 1st * 8 0 1 N/A N/A
1918 Big Ten Conference T–8th 3 3 0 N/A N/A
1919 Big Ten Conference 2nd 6 1 0 N/A N/A
1920 * Big Ten Conference 1st * 7 1 0 Lost Rose Bowl to California Golden Bears, 28–0 ^ N/A N/A
1921 Big Ten Conference T–2nd 5 2 0 N/A N/A
1922 Big Ten Conference 8th 3 4 0 N/A N/A
1923 Big Ten Conference 8th 3 4 1 N/A N/A
1924 Big Ten Conference 7th 2 3 3 N/A N/A
1925 Big Ten Conference 8th 4 3 1 N/A N/A
1926 Big Ten Conference 3rd 7 1 0 N/A N/A
1927 Big Ten Conference T–6th 4 4 0 N/A N/A
1928 Big Ten Conference 4th 5 2 1 N/A N/A
1929 Sam Willaman Big Ten Conference T–5th 4 3 1 N/A N/A
1930 Big Ten Conference T–4th 5 2 1 N/A N/A
1931 Big Ten Conference T–4th 6 3 0 N/A N/A
1932 Big Ten Conference 4th 4 1 3 N/A N/A
1933 Big Ten Conference 2nd 7 1 0 N/A N/A
1934 Francis Schmidt Big Ten Conference 2nd 7 1 0 N/A N/A
1935 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 7 1 0 N/A N/A
1936 Big Ten Conference T–2nd 5 3 0 N/A
1937 Big Ten Conference 2nd 6 2 0 13 N/A
1938 Big Ten Conference 6th 4 3 1 N/A
1939 * Big Ten Conference 1st * 6 2 0 15 N/A
1940 Big Ten Conference T–4th 4 4 0 N/A
1941 Paul Brown Big Ten Conference T–2nd 6 1 1 13 N/A
1942 †* Big Ten Conference 1st 9 1 0 1 N/A
1943 Big Ten Conference 7th 3 6 0 N/A
1944 * Carroll Widdoes Big Ten Conference 1st * 9 0 0 2 N/A
1945 Big Ten Conference 3rd 7 2 0 12 N/A
1946 Paul Bixler Big Ten Conference T–6th 4 3 2 N/A
1947 Wes Fesler Big Ten Conference 9th 2 6 1 N/A
1948 Big Ten Conference 4th 6 3 0 N/A
1949 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 7 1 2 Won Rose Bowl vs. California Golden Bears, 17–14 ^ 6 N/A
1950 Big Ten Conference T–2nd 6 3 0 10 14
1951 Woody Hayes Big Ten Conference 5th 4 3 2
1952 Big Ten Conference 3rd 6 3 0 17j 15
1953 Big Ten Conference 4th 6 3 0 20
1954 †* Big Ten Conference 1st * 10 0 0 Won Rose Bowl vs. USC Trojans, 20–7 ^ 1 2
1955 * Big Ten Conference 1st * 7 2 0 5 5
1956 Big Ten Conference T–4th 6 3 0 15
1957 †* Big Ten Conference 1st 9 1 0 Won Rose Bowl vs. Oregon Webfoots, 10–7 ^ 2 1
1958 Big Ten Conference 3rd 6 1 2 8 7
1959 Big Ten Conference T–8th 3 5 1
1960 Big Ten Conference 3rd 7 2 0 8 8
1961 †* Big Ten Conference 1st 8 0 1 2 2
1962 Big Ten Conference T–3rd 6 3 0 13
1963 Big Ten Conference T–2nd 5 3 1
1964 Big Ten Conference 2nd 7 2 0 9 9
1965 Big Ten Conference 2nd 7 2 0 11
1966 Big Ten Conference 6th 4 5 0
1967 Big Ten Conference 4th 6 3 0
1968 †* Big Ten Conference 1st * 10 0 0 Won Rose Bowl vs. USC Trojans, 27–16 ^ 1 1
1969 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 8 1 0 4 5
1970 †* Big Ten Conference 1st * 9 1 0 Lost Rose Bowl to Stanford Indians, 27–17 ^ 5 2
1971 Big Ten Conference T–3rd 6 4 0
1972 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 9 2 0 Lost Rose Bowl to USC Trojans, 42–17 ^ 9 3
1973 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 10 0 1 Won Rose Bowl vs. USC Trojans, 42–21 ^ 2 3
1974 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 10 2 0 Lost Rose Bowl to USC Trojans, 18–17 ^ 4 3
1975 * Big Ten Conference 1st * 11 1 0 Lost Rose Bowl to UCLA Bruins, 23–10 ^ 4 4
1976 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 9 2 1 Won Orange Bowl vs. Colorado Buffaloes, 27–10 ^ 6 5
1977 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 9 3 0 Lost Sugar Bowl to Alabama Crimson Tide, 35–6 ^ 11 12
1978 Big Ten Conference 4th 7 4 1 Lost Gator Bowl to Clemson Tigers, 17–15 ^ 11 12
1979 * Earle Bruce Big Ten Conference 1st * 11 1 0 Lost Rose Bowl to USC Trojans, 17–16 ^ 4 4
1980 Big Ten Conference T–2nd 9 3 0 Lost Fiesta Bowl to Penn State Nittany Lions, 31–19 ^ 15 15
1981 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 9 3 0 Won Liberty Bowl vs. Navy Midshipmen, 31–28 ^ 12 15
1982 Big Ten Conference 2nd 9 3 0 Won Holiday Bowl vs. BYU Cougars, 47–17 ^ 12 12
1983 Big Ten Conference 4th 9 3 0 Won Fiesta Bowl vs. Pittsburgh Panthers, 28–23 ^ 9 8
1984 * Big Ten Conference 1st * 9 3 0 Lost Rose Bowl to USC Trojans, 20–17 ^ 12 13
1985 Big Ten Conference T–4th 9 3 0 Won Citrus Bowl vs. BYU Cougars, 10–7 ^ 11 14
1986 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 10 3 0 Won Cotton Bowl Classic vs. Texas A&M Aggies, 28–12 ^ 6 7
1987 Big Ten Conference 5th 6 4 1
1988 John Cooper Big Ten Conference T–7th 5 6 1
1989 Big Ten Conference T–3rd 8 4 0 Lost Hall of Fame Bowl to Auburn Tigers, 31–14 ^ 21
1990 Big Ten Conference 5th 7 4 1 Lost Liberty Bowl to Air Force Falcons, 23–11 ^
1991 Big Ten Conference T–3rd 8 4 0 Lost Hall of Fame Bowl to Syracuse Orange, 24–17 ^
1992 Big Ten Conference 2nd 8 3 1 Lost Citrus Bowl to Georgia Bulldogs, 21–14 ^ 18 19
1993 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 10 1 1 Won Holiday Bowl vs. BYU Cougars, 28–21 ^ 11 10
1994 Big Ten Conference 2nd 9 4 0 Lost Citrus Bowl to Alabama Crimson Tide, 24–17 ^ 14 9
1995 Big Ten Conference 2nd 11 2 0 Lost Citrus Bowl to Tennessee Volunteers, 20–14 ^ 6 8
1996 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 11 1 [d] Won Rose Bowl vs. Arizona State Sun Devils, 20–17 ^ 2 2
1997 Big Ten Conference T–2nd 10 3 Lost Sugar Bowl to Florida State Seminoles, 31–14 ^ 12 12
1998 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 11 1 Won Sugar Bowl vs. Texas A&M Aggies, 24–14 ^ 2 2
1999 Big Ten Conference T–8th 6 6
2000 Big Ten Conference 4th 8 4 Lost Outback Bowl to South Carolina Gamecocks, 24–7 ^
2001 Jim Tressel Big Ten Conference 3rd 7 5 Lost Outback Bowl to South Carolina Gamecocks, 31–28 ^
2002 †* Big Ten Conference T–1st * 14 0 Won Fiesta Bowl vs. Miami Hurricanes, 31–24 ^ 1 1
2003 Big Ten Conference T–2nd 11 2 Won Fiesta Bowl vs. Kansas State Wildcats, 35–28 ^ 4 4
2004 Big Ten Conference T–5th 8 4 Won Alamo Bowl vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys, 33–7 ^ 20 19
2005 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 10 2 Won Fiesta Bowl vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 34–20 ^ 4 4
2006 * Big Ten Conference 1st * 12 1 Lost BCS National Championship to Florida Gators, 41–14 ^ 2 2
2007 * Big Ten Conference 1st * 11 2 Lost BCS National Championship to LSU Tigers, 38–24 ^ 5 4
2008 * Big Ten Conference T–1st * 10 3 Lost Fiesta Bowl to Texas Longhorns, 24–21 ^ 9 11
2009 * Big Ten Conference 1st * 11 2 Won Rose Bowl vs. Oregon Ducks, 26–17 ^ 5 5
2010[e] Big Ten Conference T–1st[f] 12 1 Won Sugar Bowl vs. Arkansas Razorbacks, 31–26 ^ 5 5
2011 Luke Fickell[g] Big Ten Conference 4th 6 7 Lost Gator Bowl to Florida Gators, 24–17 ^
2012 Urban Meyer Big Ten Conference 1st double-dagger 12 0 Ineligible 3 Ineligible
2013 Big Ten Conference 2nd 1st double-dagger 12 2 Lost Orange Bowl to Clemson Tigers, 40–35 ^ 12 10
2014 †* Big Ten Conference 1st * 1st double-dagger 14 1 Won Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama Crimson Tide, 42–35 ^
Won College Football Playoff National Championship vs. Oregon Ducks, 42–20
1 1

All-time records

Records current through January 13, 2015

Statistic Wins Losses Ties
Ohio State Buckeyes regular season record (1890–2014) 842 295 53
Ohio State Buckeyes bowl game record (1890–2014) 21 24
All-time regular and bowl game record (1890–2014) 863 319 53

Notes

References

  1. "Ohio Stadium". Ohio State Buckeyes. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Ohio State Buckeyes Football Results by Year" (PDF). Ohio State Buckeyes.com. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  3. "Ohio State Opponents". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Football Bowl Subdivision Records" (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  5. "Big Ten History". Big Ten Conference. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  6. "2003 Fiesta Bowl". FiestaBowl.org. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  7. "National Champions! Ohio State Wins First College Football Playoff". Ohio State University Department of Athletics. January 13, 2015.
  8. "Ohio State Buckeyes Football Coaching Records" (PDF). Ohio State Buckeyes.com. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  9. "Ohio State Buckeyes Football Bowl Results" (PDF). Ohio State Buckeyes.com. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  10. "Big Ten Announces Football Division Alignments and 2011 and 2012 Conference Schedules". Big Ten.com. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  11. "Overtime system still excites coaches". USA Today.com. Retrieved 2012-06-10.
  12. "Ohio State gets bowl ban, other penalties". USA Today. Retrieved 2012-07-26.
  13. "NCAA Ohio State Football 2010-2011". NCAA. Retrieved 2012-07-26.
  14. "Luke Fickell Named Interim Ohio State Football Coach". 10TV.com. Retrieved 2012-06-10.